Thread: Tape when honing = tape on balsa?

I would try a microscope and find out especially those of you that have the ones that you can capture pics for here....

That would be interesting to see...

My brain is telling me we are talking about 1/2 of 1 degree of angle change on a surface that is measured in fractions of microns so I don't see how it could make a huge difference... But I don't use Balsa so I am only guessing...

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

will you call Balsa soft and flexible Randy?
To me it has been always soft?
i never knew what is a Balsa . First time i remember Kelly brought the balsa and it seemed very soft peace of wood.

Hello Sham, when using balsa I leave the tape on. I do not think Balsa wood has enough "give/softness" to worry about.

So I tried to do some experimenting today, I honed a Hellberg wedge on Naniwas 1-3-8-12K with one layer of electrical tape.

I then gave it 15 laps on a balsa strop pasted with CrOx, one side with tape, the other without, then I checked the edge in my pocket microscope at 60 & 100 X and to me it looked like the side without tape didn't make full contact with the CrOx, it was not quite as smooth as the taped side, so I put tape on it again and gave the prvious untaped side 15 new laps, this time the edge looked just as smooth on both sides.

Since this was a single experiment I will by no means claim that this is the correct answer, so if someone wants to do some more tests and maybe post some pics from a USB microscope it would be very welcome

would you mind posting your Balsa strop pics?
wow 15 laps chro2 made edge smooth?
i would love to see that balsa strop.
thank you

Originally Posted by Zephyr

So I tried to do some experimenting today, I honed a Hellberg wedge on Naniwas 1-3-8-12K with one layer of electrical tape.

I then gave it 15 laps on a balsa strop pasted with CrOx, one side with tape, the other without, then I checked the edge in my pocket microscope at 60 & 100 X and to me it looked like the side without tape didn't make full contact with the CrOx, it was not quite as smooth as the taped side, so I put tape on it again and gave the prvious untaped side 15 new laps, this time the edge looked just as smooth on both sides.

Since this was a single experiment I will by no means claim that this is the correct answer, so if someone wants to do some more tests and maybe post some pics from a USB microscope it would be very welcome

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

would you mind posting your Balsa strop pics?
wow 15 laps chro2 made edge smooth?
i would love to see that balsa strop.
thank you

Sounds like I'm on thin ice here

Okay, not smooth as in SMOOTH, but there was some improvement from the 12K (at least it looked like it was)

When I finish on CrOx I usaually do ~30-35 laps before I do 75/50 Linen/leather, that's what I was told when I started honing, should it be more? If so how much is recommended?

I'm greatful for anything that can help me improve, and I'll gladly take it back to the balsa to double check if you give me a more correct number of laps.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

wow 15 laps chro2 made edge smooth?
i would love to see that balsa strop.
thank you

Sham,

I regularly use my balsa strop w/ chrome to do touch ups and to finish my honing progression. 10-12 laps is all I ever use, and not only are my edges noticeably smooth they do seem to get sharper, too. I prefer it to diamond.

FYI - I have sensitive skin, so I do notice subtle differences with the edge.

Take care,

Ryan

Ryan
i don't use chro2 but have used . I know how strong chro2 will act.
chro 2 is very weak compound. it basically doesn't have sharpening power.
It will sharpen the blade but takes a lot more laps .
if you guys talking about bevel gets shiny that i will accept but not the edge.
Edge to get smooth it will take a lot more laps then 10-12 laps.
Anyway I was replying to this thread because of 1 layer tape.
i have never notes differences between 1 layer tape and stropping compare to same blade without tape.
No one did post their chro2 balsa strop to see how much chro2 they are using.

I guess i need to stop in here .
thank you all.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

Sham,

I regularly use my balsa strop w/ chrome to do touch ups and to finish my honing progression. 10-12 laps is all I ever use, and not only are my edges noticeably smooth they do seem to get sharper, too. I prefer it to diamond.

FYI - I have sensitive skin, so I do notice subtle differences with the edge.

Take care,

Ryan

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

chro 2 is very weak compound. it basically doesn't have sharpening power.
It will sharpen the blade but takes a lot more laps .
if you guys talking about bevel gets shiny that i will accept but not the edge.
Edge to get smooth it will take a lot more laps then 10-12 laps.

I can't speak from your experience, or anybody elses for that matter, I can only report my own findings from nearly 3 years of using my balsa strop. And I certainly have no motivation to deceive the wetshaving community about the powers of chrome ox. And it's not a placebo effect either. It does work very well for me, gives the edge a "crisp" feel. I have experimented shaving with and without, and I can definitely feel the difference. You can see shades of grey mixed in with the green, so metal is being removed. I've never had to apply a second coat yet either.

I don't know the "why's", I just know that it "is"...

Stay well,

Ryan

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

if you guys talking about bevel gets shiny that i will accept but not the edge.

I guess that is what I really see in the microscope, the bevel being polished, and to me it looked like the side without tape didn't get fully in contact with the CrOx.

I can't really tell if there's any difference to the edge finishing on CrOx or not since I have finished every razor I have honed on the Naniwas on CrOx, ever since I was told it would make a smoother finish to the edge.

And for the pics, here's mine:

Originally Posted by Zephyr

I guess that is what I really see in the microscope, the bevel being polished, and to me it looked like the side without tape didn't get fully in contact with the CrOx.

Yes you will see basically half of the bevel didn't get polished but half toward to the edge will make contact and gets polished.
This is the part you need to be polished.(this is the purpose of using chro2)
Try it out and see above statement correct or not on the without tape site.
by the way very nice Junk of chro2 on your balsa strop.
Thank you for posting pics.